1. Field Of The Invention
The field of the invention deals with the field of devices for packing of a plurality of vials supplied by an infeed system into one or more cases of any configuration.
The present invention is particularly adaptable for the packing of very small and normally lightweight vials such as those used for providing small quantities of medicine in pill or liquid form. These vials are often plastic and very lightweight and as such are very difficult to handle. The present invention is specifically useful for such pharmaceutical applications and can be utilized as a single station or as multiple horizontally oriented stations including two or three specific vial packing guide assemblies moved simultaneously between an upper vial receiving position and a lower vial placement position.
2. Description Of The Prior Art
There are many examples in the prior art of vial packing apparatus such as U.S. Pat. No. 2,036,421 patented Apr. 7, 1936 to E. B. Luckie on a Method And Apparatus For Inserting Bottles In Boxes; U.S. Pat. No. 2,308,209 patented Jan. 12, 1943 to C. Schmutzer et al on an Article Transferring Apparatus; U.S. Pat. No. 2,730,279 patented Jan. 10, 1956 to A. Enock on Bottle Crating And Decrating Machines; U.S. Pat. No. 2,999,343 patented Sept. 12, 1961 to R. Berry on Machines For The Packing Of Bottles Or Like Articles Into Cases Or The Like; U.S. Pat. No. 3,397,504 patented Aug. 20, 1968 to J. Drennan on a Method Of Handling Beverage Bottles; U.S. Pat. No. 3,592,002 patented July 13, 1971 to F. Alduk on a Drop-Through Case Packer; U.S. Pat. No. 3,653,178 patented Apr. 4, 1972 to E. Bauer on an Apparatus For Charging Trays Having A Surrounding Flange With Articles Ordered In Groups; U.S. Pat. No. 3,914,921 patented Oct. 28, 1975 to R. Doran et al on a High Speed Carton Casing Apparatus; U.S. Pat. No. 4,003,185 patented Jan. 18, 1977 to O. Goff on a Caser Apparatus; U.S. Patent No. 4,048,783 patented Sept. 20, 1977 to J. Raudat et al on a Case Loader With Invert Grid And Pushdown Feature; U.S. Pat. No. 4,300,330 patented Nov. 17, 1981 to T. Hartness on a Bottle Loading Machine; U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,345 patented July 30, 1985 to N. Nigrelli et al on a Case Loader; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,754,598 patented July 5, 1988 to A. Wild on a Bottle Packing Apparatus.